Inert matrix fuels (IMFs) are formulations of a nuclear fuel dispersed in a metallic matrix, and present a promising opportunity to improve the efficiency and utilization of fuel in nuclear energy applications, e.g. by enabling ultra-high burn up to minimize the amount of residual radioactive/radiotoxic material present in spent fuel material. IMFs are particularly promising because the formulations may exhibit high tolerance for fission gas products and large doses of irradiation, when appropriate alloy compositions are achieved.
Among the great challenges of materials science is discovering or developing a material satisfying “conflicting” requirements, so that it possesses specific properties for a particular application. Such is the case for metals used in various components of nuclear fuels, especially those fuels intended to be used for high or ultrahigh burn-up. In particular, for a specific ultrahigh burn-up nuclear fuel form, a metal alloy that has both very high thermal conductivity but also relatively low melting temperature is required. In addition, to withstand conditions of ultrahigh burn-up, it is desirable to have a ductile, high-strength material that also exhibits chemical inertness to prevent reactivity between the fuel cladding and the fuel kernel. Finally, fission gases produced during fuel burn-up must be accommodated, so gas gettering ability is desirable.
However, existing IMFs produced to-date have not been demonstrated to exhibit the foregoing desirable characteristics, and accordingly, it would be highly beneficial to provide novel formulations of materials suitable for use as IMFs and which exhibit the foregoing characteristics, as well as methods of making the same.